Paula Simmons, age 87, passed away on June 19, 2014 in Plano, Texas surrounded by her family. Paula was born in Chicago, Illinois on April 21, 1927 and later moved to Shreveport where she attended Fair Park High School. A few years later, she married her husband of 63 years, Robert Simmons who pre-deceased her in 2009 at the age of 88.
Strong-willed, witty, sharp-tongued, independent and long a feminist before the name was even invented, Paula always advocated and espoused the idea of equal rights for women her entire life. She was a devoted mother who was a den mother to her sons, active in the Sunset Acres PTA, one of the original founders of the Sunset Acres Elementary School Athletic Club which raised money for uniforms for all the children at the school who wanted to participate in football, baseball and basketball. She was her sons’ greatest fan and attended every game they played over a 14 year span. Always involved and supportive, she made sure that her sons knew they had someone they could depend on at all times. At great sacrifice, she went back to work after being a stay-at-home mother for 16 years to work at Custom-Bilt Lumber, learned new skills and became its’ office manager for over 20 years all just to make sure her children were the first in her family to attend college and law school. She was the rock and foundation of her sons and the role model and stalwart to her many nieces and cousins. She will be greatly missed by her family and life-long friends. One of her greatest dreams was to have a granddaughter and to buy her a red velvet dress for Christmas. She was finally granted that wish in 2008 with the birth of her only granddaughter, Sloan Parker Simmons who she adored and spoiled with chocolate chip cookies and toys.
Paula is survived by her sons, Larry and Ricky Simmons and his wife, Rebecca, her granddaughter, Sloan Parker Simmons, her sister Nancy Warren, her nieces, Debbie Davis and her husband Steve Davis, Jan Jenkins, Melinda Faulk, Susie Jenkins and nephews, Neal Jenkins and Bob Warren who all will miss her guidance and inspiration in their lives.
Visitation will be at the Coker-Mathews Funeral Home in Greenville, Texas this Friday, June 20th beginning at 10am with services being held at 11am and burial at Memoryland Memorial Park.